Whole Foods Accidentally Tricked Vegans Into Eating Chicken This Week

Bad news for vegans and chicken-eaters alike: On Thursday, Whole Foods announced it had accidentally switched the labels for its chicken salad and "chick'n" salad in stores in the Northeast.

The mislabeled salads – curried chicken salad and vegan curried “chick'n” salad – were sold on Tuesday and Wednesday in 15 stores in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York. Aside from angering principled eaters, the switch-up was also potentially dangerous.

The Food and Drug Administration noted the vegan salad contains soy, and the curried chicken salad contains egg. It said people who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to soy or eggs run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they eat the salads.

Perhaps because of that risk, the Austin-based chain was quick to note that the mislabeling wasn't their fault.

Libba Letton, a spokeswoman for Whole Foods, said some of the company's bulk food comes pre-made from third-party vendors. She said the salads in question came with the wrong labels from a vendor. In addition to issuing a recall in line with guidelines set by the FDA, Letton said the company has posted signs in its stores alerting people of the error.